Self-retaining brushes



J. T. SCULLY Dec. 30, 1958 SELF-RETAINING BRUSHES Filed May 22, 1953 *lil/Lul United States Parent O SELF-RETAIPJING BRUSHES John T. Sclly, New York, N. Y. Application May 22, 1953, Serial No. 356,860 17 Claims. (Cl. 15 ,145)

the brush on an external support, such as a pipe, having a curved or multi-sided outer surface; the provisior in the brush of a movable, retracted clamping hook or hanging hook adapted to facilitate grip by the user's finger to lift the hook into an operative position for clamping and adapted to minimize any tendency for the'finger to slip off the clamping end of the hook; the provision of improved, simple means for guiding a spring pressed, longitudinally movable clamping or hanging member from operative position back to retracted position; the provision of means whereby the brush may be hung on a pipe or shelf securely and with the brush handle and hanging hook relatively movable rotatably to each other for economy in the shape of the space occupied' by the formation of bristles of the brush in accordance with the shape of the formation; and the provison of improved means, simple and economical in construction, of seating the hanging member in retracted position. I

Further objects are the provison of an' improved selfretainng brush for household use which is durable, simple and economical to manufacture, and of attractive appearance; the provision of an improved self-retaining brush having a replaceable bristled unit nexpensive to manufacture and capable of a wide use in cleaning tasks; and the provision of a self-retaining brush having a replaceable bristled unit which is convenient and easy to attach or detach( I i Other objects will hereinafter become' apparent from the description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing in which similar reference characters refer to similar or corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of an embodiment of' the invention. Fig. 2 is a front View, with parts broken away to show inner parts in elevation and in section, of a common type of household sink cabinet with the brush shown in elevation and clamped to cabinet parts 'and standing on a cabinet part, to illustrat'efutility of brush parts. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longtudinal sectional view on an enlarged scale, with parts in elevation, of the brush shown in Fig. 1, the sectional view being taken through the axis. Fig. 4 is a top View of the brush shown in Fig. 1 and on approximately the same scale as in Fig. 3, but with the bristled unit loosened and turned ninety degrees relatively to the handle for better clarity of 'View of parts. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation with'a part broken away to show inner parts in elevation and in `section of the brush hanging on` a common external support. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation of the brush selfclamped to an external support shown in Fig. 2, the external support being shown in 'cross-section with the View'` in the same direction as the axis otthe support, Fig. 7 is a partly bottomand partly cross-sectionalview of the brush shown'in Fig. 1, the scalebeing approxi mately the same asin Fig. 3 and the cross-sectional View: being taken on the plane in Fig. 1 corresponding to the plane indicatedby tneline 7-7 'of Fig 3 and loc lting in the direction indicated by the arrow. Fg. 8 isa top plan view of a modification of a part. Fig. 9lis a side elevation of the partshown in Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is &fragmentary side elevation of a modification of a partof, apart shownin Figs. '3 and 6. i p g Reference is made to my ,copending application for Letters Patent for lmprovementin Brushes, Serial Num-` ber 263,059, filed December 24, 1951, now Patent No. 2,799,036, issued July 16, 1957. v Refe-ring more particularly to the drawing: i In the embodiment of the invention illustratedin Figs. 1 to, 7 inclusive, the brush, generally designated A, is comprised of a main handle portion 20on the inner and diametrically reduced end of which is secured, inany suitable and wellknown manner, for example by cementing or gluing, a relatively shorter sleeve-like handle por;

tion 21.` The outer end of portion 21 is internally threaded and detachably secures to the handle the re -l placeable or renewable bristled unit comprising the fer rule 22, the inner end of which is externally threaded and screwed into portion 21, and the twisted wire 23 secur ing between its strands the radial bristles 24, as in the manner of the usual wire twisted brush, Ferrule 22 is,

in manufaeture, made in a cup-like, or container form in,

which a hole, of gene-ally oval shape in cross-section',

i extends longitudinally from its outer end to within a shorti distance from its inner or bottom end, and in this hole the opposite ends of the twisted wire 23 are Secured byi In instances where ferrule 22 may be of synthetc resin or plastic, substance 25 will.. preferably be of a suitable synthetic plastic binding mjaterial poured into the ferrule in a liquid state and allowed a suitable substance 25,

to harden and bind itself to the ferrul e and grip the twisted wire. In instances where ferrule 22 may be of wood, a suitable glue or plastic Wood may be used in. a

similar procedure to fasten the ends of the twisted wire in the ferrule. A" set screw 26 may, but not necessarilyfi be provided in sleeve portion 21 of the handle to be turned by the user`s fingers -to force its inner sharp pointed end against or in the'threaded portion of ferrule 22 for releasably locking the threaded engagement of the handle and the bristled unit.

As is clearly shown in Fig. 3, handle 'portion 20 is provided with a longitudinal bore which, preferably, issubj stantially coaxial with the main axis of the 'handle and the brush as a whole, The upper or outer end 27 of the bore is of cylindrical shape in cross-section and isrelatively large and is connected by a short narrow bore portion to a'relatvely long, cylindrically shaped, spring housing portion 23 Carried in the bore and longitu dinally movable outwardly of the outer end of the handle i (as indicated by the dotted Outline H in Fig. 1) is a brush hanging or clamping hook made from a rod of suit-11` able steel and of rectangular shape with its side edges k tion 27 to enable the user to insert the tip of the, fore-` finger, orif desired the tips of the thumb and the forefinger, of the hand into the bore to grip hook `end 29 and lift the hook into operativeclamping position and, in as much as end 29 is of thin material and is disposed closely adjacent the end of the handle, the depth to V the user's fingerwill be inserted will be shallow." The hook end 29 is longitudinally spaced from a relatively shorter transverse portion 30 seated on the bottom wall' formed by large bore end 27 and is connected to portion 30 by a perpendicular or upright portion the rear face or outer face of which is, at its side edges, against or very closely adjacent to the side wall formedby bore portion 27 Hook end 29 may be provided with any kind of clamping face suitable for clamping the brush to an external support, but, preferably and as herein shown, is provded with a cl mping face which adjacent the free end of hook end 29 is acutely inclined to the main axis and in the direction towards the bottom of bore portion 27. As a result of bending, in manufacture, the clamping end of the hook in two planes, it is provided with a concave clampng face 31 which, in this instancej provides a groove extending substantiallyacross the main axis of the brush transversely of end 29. Preferably, the inner or clamping face 31 is a shallow concave face whereby the outer end of the clamping end or bar of the hook s nclined slightly downwardly relatively to the axis of the' handle, that is at an angle greater than 45 degrees between the inner face of the bar at its outer end and the axis of the handle, with the result that the bar of the hook will grip a pipe or a bevelled edge of a glass shelf securely but will permit the user to disengage the bar from ,the pipe or shelf with facility by drawing the brush away from the pipe or shelf in the direction perpendicular to the axis of the brush, which appears to be the natural way to remove the brush from its external support. Extending downwardly from hook portion 30 in the bore s a relatively long perpendicular hook portion surrounded by the coils of helical compression springs 32 and 33 spaced by a circular, fiat plate 34 which is centrally slotted and receives the hook for slidable movement up or down thereon. Spring 32 bears at one end against plate 34 and at its opposite end against an annular shoulder at the upper or inner end of bore portion 28 which shoulder is formed by the relatively smaller size diametricallv of the short bore portion connecting portons 27 and 28. Spring 33 bears at one end against plate 34 and at its opposite end against a similar Washer-like plate 35 which is secured to the hook by suitable means such as a cotter pin 36 (see Fig. 7) passing through a small hole adjacent the end of the hook and located substantially centrally between its side edges, the end of the bore in this region being suitably widened or flared to readily permit the short cotter pin to be inserted during assembling of the parts and also, in some instances to facilitate guiding of plate 35 upwards in the bore. The springs are under tension at all times and resiliently retain the hook in the bore with hook portion 30 pressed against the bottom wall of bore end 27 and the spring assembly will permit the hook to be drawn outwardly approximately as far as the distance between hook portion 30 and the stand-up face or end 2011 of the outer end of the handle so that when the hook is fully drawn out portion 30 will be fiush with or slightly outwardly of end 20a. In addition to being longitudinally movable in the bore of the handle the hook is fully rotatable in the bore relatively to the handle and, consequently, is rctatable relatively to the bristled unit whereby end 29 of the hook may be turned to position the open side of the hook facing in either the direction in which the formation of bristles is relatively wide (for example as in Fig. 1) or in the direction in which the formation of bristles is relatively narrow (for example'as in Fig. 4). In the relative rotation of the hook and the handle, the side wall of bore end 27 serves to guide rotary movement of the hook and hook portion 30 and the bottom wall of end 27 will also guide rotary movement of the hook in its retracted position. Longitudnal movements of the hook are principally guided by plates 34- and 35 whose peripheral edges are rounded transversely in their preferred form and which are spaced from the cylindrical side wall of bore portion 28 with which they will cooperate to guide the hook. Preferably, the fit of the hook as a whole in the bore as a whole is loose enough to permit the hook to the rocked or canted slightly to increase somewhat the size of the opening between one or the other sides of end 29 of the hook and the side wall cf bore portion 27 whereby to enable the user to make additional room in the bore for entrance of his or her forefinger and, further,-to enable the hook to adjust itself, when necessary for clamping to some external supports, with its clamping face laterally inclined or canted to the plane of the cooperating clamping face 2011 of the handle. Adjacent clamping and stand-up face 20a, the side wall of bore portion 27 is outwardly ,flared to minimize any damage or prevent damage to a long finger nail or cuticle of the forefinger nail when it is being inserted to withdraw the hook from its retracted position into its operative position and also to cooperate with the free end of hook portion 29 to guide it back into the bore after the brush has been disengaged from au external support. The diameter of cylindrical bore portion 28 is so related to the diameters of plates 34 and 35 as to prevent end 29 of the hook from becoming suspended on, and preferably from becoming impacted against, stand-up face 20a of the outer end of the handle as the spring assembly urges the hook to return it to its retracted position in the bore when the brush has been pulled from its clamped position on an external support, whereby, despite the tendency, as the handle is seized and pulled away from the external support, for the grip of the clamping face of the hook and the frictional resistance of the engaged surfaces to cause the hook to resist sliding off the external support and, consequently, tend to cause, but not to cause, the free end of portion 29 to overnang end face 20a, the end portion 29 will, upon release rrom the external support, always be returned into bore portion 27.

In addition to being suitably and permanently united to handle portion 20 by cementing, gluing or bonding, sleevelike portion 21 may be further secured to portion 20 by radial pins or drive screws P to relieve any strain on the jointed connection of the parts which may result from an unusually tight screwing on of portion 21, or the unloosening from a very tight connection, of the bristled unit, as it will be observed that the threads of the ferrule and of the sleeve-like portion 21 permit the inner or bottom end flat face of ferrule 22 to be placed in tight frictional surface engagement with the flat end face of the reduced end of portion 20 which serves as an annular shoulder in portion 21 against which the inner endface of the ferrule abuts. The lengths of the handle and the bristled unit as well as the shape of the latter, in this type of brush, will permit the user to make the threaded connection very tight, if desired, when replacing the bristled unit, and provision is preferably made to prevent the user in assembling or disassembling the bristled unit to or from the handle from loosening the ends of twisted wire 23, imbedded in material 25, by making, in manufacture, opposite sides of each end of the twisted wire flat, or transversely concave as by transversely grinding, throughout the extent to which their lengths extend into ferrule 22 in order to increase the resistance to being turned in substanca 25 of each end of the wire if and when the user, in tightening or loosening the bristled unit on the handle, should, for leverage, seze both the bristles and the wire in the hand to twist or turn the unit on or off the handle. This flattening or concavng of the sides of the ends of the twisted wire may be carried out in all instances where the bristled unit is of the twisted wire type and especially in instances where the diameter of each strand of wire is small, enough to result in a twisted wire overall diameter of approximately'.175 or less, or roughly eleven-sixty fourths, of an inch, wherein the spiral grooves formed by the twisted strands may be too shallow and narrow to receive sutficient of material 25 for adequate holding purposes. If dsired,`these ends f the twisted wire may be both flatmemzi&

ien'ed` and widthwise elongated in` manufacture by me* chanical pressing or squeezing or* by mechanicalhammen ing.

It will be observed upon reference to Fig. 2, with Fig. 6 in mind, that brush A may be clamped, hanging bristles down, on the water faucet 37 of a common household kitchen or pantry sink cabinet where it is conveniently available for removal for use in cleaning dishes, glasses, utensils and the like and where, in proper drying of the. bristles, water from the bristles may drip into sink S. From its hanging down position, the brush, without re moving it from the faucet, may be turned or pivoted on the faucet to the standing up position indicated by the dotted Outline A' thus leaving the sink clear for the accumulation of dishes, utensils and the like or, in the case of a cabinet having a sink partitioned off from a wash tub, to permit the faucet to be sidewise swung over the partition without interference by the brush. The clamping face 31 of the hook not only serves to better secure the brush against accidental dislodgement from the faucet`s curved external surface than would be the case were face 31 fiat or straight and perpendicular or normal throughout its length to the main axis of the brush, but also serves to securely hold the brush on the faucet irrespective of whether clamping end 29 is disposed rectangularly or diagonally to the axs of the faucet. In clamping the brush to the faucet, the user may do so by holding the brush in the vertical position or in the, horizontal position with the open side of the hook faced toward the faucet, and the holding of the handle and the lifting of the hook into operative position may be performed by one hand, the shape of face 31 minimizing any tendency of the forefinger of the hand to slip off the outer end. of the hook end 29. Since the hook is rotatable relatively to the bristled unit, the brush may be clamped to the faucet with the wider dimension of the bristled unit transverse to the faucet for economy of space and whereby other similar brushes may also be clamped on the faucet Conveniently available for use for sink sweeping or for pot and pan scouring or bottle washing, according to the kind of bristles with which they may be equipped. Intermittently during its work, brush A may b'e stood up on its stand-up face or end 20a on the drainboard of the cabinet where, in a soap soaked condition of its britsles, the brush will not deposit soap suds and will be in a Conveniently grippable position for re-use, similarly as the illustrated similar brush B. Brush A may also be clamped to a shelf to be hung or stored out of sight, if desired and, since the hook is rotatable, it may be clamped on the end of a shelf adjacent a closed compartrnent door in many types of cabinets with the bristle formation of the brush disposed sidewise so as not to interfere with closing of the compartment door, similarly as the illustrated similar brush C. It will be obvious that the faucet or other external support may be oval, that the faucet or other external support may be oval, instead of round, in cross-section and may be of any suitable shape and that the brush may be securely clamped to galley pump-spouts in ships or other boats and that the hook will also adequately secure the brush to a shelf edge having an upwardly directed fiange or other upwardly protuberant edge.

in Fig. 5, the brush is-shown Suspended from a common cup hook screwedlinto a wall W and with end 29 of the clamping hook of the brush hanging the brush on the cup hook, the latter being partly received in bore end 27. The loop of the bristled unit also will receive the cup hook. or the faucct to hang the brush. It Will be obvious, on observation of Fig. 5, that, since bore end 27 is wide enough to receive finger tips on either side of' hook end 29, the wall hook may ntially be quickly received in relatively large bore 27 on either side of the axis of the brush and, subsequently, the brush may be manipulated so as to slide hook end 27 continuously* on the wall hook to brush` center or' axis to permit. the brush 6 to` hang properly perpendicular and, consequently, since the; wall hook can be thus quickly located in reference: to the hook end 29, proper hanging of the brush can be quickly efiected.

In some nstances, the ferruleZZ, shown in Figs. 1 and 3, may be made with its outer end portion relativelylarger dametrically than its threaded inner portion to provide. an annular shoulder having a fiat face to engage against the fiat face of the end of the handle at the outer end of portion 21 of the handle, and the threaded portion of the feri-ule made shorter whereby its flat inner end face; will be slightly spaced from the end face of'the reduced end portion of portion 20 of the handle when the ferrule is tightly screwed on the handle with the shoulder flat' face of its dametrically larger portion in very tightfrictionally binding facial engagement with the end face of the outer end of portion 21.

l'n the modification of renewable bristled unit shown` in Figs. 8 and 9, a cylindrical backing block 38 is pro vided on its fiat bottom face with circular rings of tufts of brstles 2461, the tufts being stapled in sockets in the hacking block in the usual well'known manner. From the opposite face of the block, an externally threaded, cylindrical post 39 projects and by which this bristled unit may be detachably fastened to the handle as a substitute for and in a similar manner as the bristled unit. shown in Figs. 1 and 3 and as described in connection therewth. The threaded post 39 may be made short: enough to permit the fiat face, ad'acent the post, of block 38 to be forced into adjustably tight frictionally binding facial engagement with the flat end face of the outer end of portion 21 of the handle.

lt will be understood that the user, in renewing the bristled unit, may screw the new unit on the handle and adjust it to various degrees of frictionally binding facial, tightness according to how easy or how difficult the user may wish to make its removal for replacement or re-` newal. In instances in which the handle will be provided with screw 26, the ferrule or the block can be releasably locked thereby to the handle, against relative. turning thereto during work of the brush, with the respective end faces or shoulder faces of the parts in a relatively loose facial engagement.

If desired, the clamping hook may be provided with a longitudinally curved clamping end or bar to provide the concavely curved or cylindrically concavely curved clamping face 4 t), the curvature extending continuously, or substantially so, from its inner to its outer end, as is illustrated in Fig. 10.

It is oontemplated that the brush may be commercially presented with a bristled unit comprising bristles suitable for use in cleaning parts of the body of a person, for example as a hand or finger nail cleaning brush or as a bath brush.

The handle may be made of any suitable material, for example of Wood or of a suitably durable and strong synthetic plastic material; the movable parts in the handle are, preferably, all of suitable metal; and the ferrule and the block are, preferably, of material similar to the material of the handle. For cementing or bonding portion 21 of the handle to portion 2@ thereof and for gripping and bonding the ends of the twisted wire to a synthetic plastic ferrule the naterial or substance commercially known as Marblettei presented by The Marblette Corp. of Long Island City, New York, appears to be Satisfactory when, after application as a synthetc liquid resin, it is allowed to properly harden, and the handle also being of synthetic plastic material.

In using the word bristles or the word "bristled in the claims, I wish it to be understood as meaning any natural or synthetic material in filament, or threadlike, or fibrelike, or wire form which is suitable in a brush for cleaning or applying purposes and not to be limited to only hairs derived from animals or plants.

While I have described severalembodiments of my'in- 2,see,215

vention, it is to be understood that they are for the purposes of illustration rather than limitation and that the spirit and scope of the invention is to be determined by the claims herein viewed in the light of the prior art.

Having described the invention, I presently claim:

1. A brush having a main axis and adapted and constructed to be hung on a wall hook or shelf hook, said brush comprising a handle having an outer end and a relatively large recess open at said end and through which recess said axis passes, the opposite end of the handle supporting a formation of bristles; said handle carrying a bar disposed in said recess and extending through said axis to opposite sides spaced therefrom and transversely across said recess for substantially the full width thereof, said recess having, in the direction in which the bar extends thereacross, a width greater than one-half the width of the handle, said bar having an inner face intersecting said axis from opposite sides thereof, the bar being spaced from the bottom of the recess at and at said opposite sides of its intersection with said axis and having opposite side edges spaced from the sidewalls of the recess whereby the wall hook or shelf hook may be received in the recess and beneath the inner face of said bar for engaging the bar, and the inner face on said bar presenting a shallow concavity fixed in said face and intersected by said axis and extending transversely from one side edge to the opposite side edge of said bar and adapted to receive said wall hook or shelf hook, said concavity having a depth less than one-quarter the distance which the bar extends lengthwise across the recess, whereby the brush may be hung with said axis thereof intersected by said wall hook or shelf hook.

2. A brush having a main axis and adapted and constructed to be hung on a wall hook or shelf hook, said brush comprising a handle having an outer end and a relatively large recess open at said end and through which recess said axis passes, the opposite end of the handle supporting a formation of bristles; said handle carrying a bar disposed in said recess and extending through said axis to opposite sides spaced therefrom and transversely across said recess for substantially the full width thereof, said recess having, in the direction in which the bar extends thereacross, a width greater than one-half the width of the handle, said bar having an inner face inter secting said axis from opposite sides thereof, the bar being spaced from the bottom of the recess at and at said opposite sides of its intersection with said axis and having oppositely disposed side edges spaced from the sidewalls of the recess whereby the wall hook or shelf hook may be received in the recess and beneath the inner face of said bar for engaging'the bar, the inner face of said bar being a longitudinally concave face fixed in said bar and including inclined longitudirally straight face portions acutely inclined to said axis on opposite sides thereof and obtusely inclined to each other and inclined in opposite directions downwardly relatively to said recess, the depth of the concavity of said inner face of the bar being less than one-quarter the distance which the bar extends lengthwise across the recess.

3. A brush having a main axis and adapted and constructed to be hung on a wall hook or shelf hook, said brush comprising a handle having a stand-up face on one end substantially perpendicular to said axis and a relatively large recess adjacent said face and through which recess said axis passes, a formation of bristles supported on the opposite end of the handle, said formation of bristles having a widthwise dimension greater than its thickwise dimension and greater than the width of the handle; said handle carrying a bar extending transversely across said recess, said bar having an inner face intersecting said axis from opposite sides thereof, the bar being spaced from the bottom of said recess at and at said opposite sides of its intersection with said axis and having oppositely disposed side edges spaced from the sidewalls of the recess whereby the wall hook or shelf hook may be received in said recess and beneath the inner face of said bar for engaging the bar substantially centrally widthwise of the handle, the inner face of said bar being a longitudinally concave face including inclined face portions acutely inclined to said axis on opposite sides thereof and obtusely inclined to each other and inclined in opposite directions downwardly relatively to said recess, and means in the handle rotatably supporting said bar for rotation in said recess around said axis and for relative rotation to said formation of bristles.

4. A brush having a main axis and adapted and constructed to be hung on a wall hook or shelf hook, said brush comprising a handle having a stand-up face on one end substantially perpendicular to said axis and a relativcly large recess adjacent said face and through which recess said axis passes, a renewable bristled unit rotatably Secured to the opposite end of the handle, said bristled unit presenting its bristles in a formation of greater widthwise dimension than thickwise dimension and wider than the handle; said handle carrying a bar extending transversely across said recess and having an inner face intersecting said axis from opposite sides thereof, the bar being spaced from the bottom of said recess at and at said opposite sides of its intersection with said axis and having oppositely disposed side edges spaced from the sidewalls of said recess whereby a wall hook or shelf hook may be received in said recess and beneath the inner face of said bar for engaging the bar to hang the brush, and means in the handle rotatably supporting said bar for rotation in said recess around said axis and for relative ro-tation to said formation of bristles.

S. A brush having a main axis and adapted and constructed to be hung on a wall hook or shelf hook, said brush comprising a handle having a stand-up face on one end perpendicular to said axis and a relatively large recess adjacent said face and through which recess said axis passes, a renewable bristled unit rotatably Secured to the opposite end of said handle, said bristled unit presenting its bristles in a formation of greater widthwise dimension than thickwise dimension and wider than said handle; said handle carrying a bar extending transversely across said recess and having an inner face intersecting said-axis from opposite sides thereof, the bar being spaced from the bottom of said recess at and at said opposite sides of its intersection with said axis and having oppositely disposed side edges spaced from the sidewalls of said recess whereby the wall hook or shelf hook may be received in said recess and beneath the inner face of said bar for engaging the bar, said inner face on said bar being a substantially shallow concave face and comprising inclined face portions acutely inclined to said axis on opposite sides thereof and inclined obtusely to each other and inclined in opposite directions downwardly relatively to said recess for hanging the brush with said axis thereof substantially ntersected by the wall hook or shelf hook, and means in the *handle rotatably supporting said bar for rotation in said recess around said axis and for relative rotation to said formation of bristles.

6. A brush having a main axis and adapted and constructed to be clamped to an external support, such as a faucet, shelf or the like, to hang the brush, said brush comprising a handle having an outer end and a relatively large recess open at said end, a formation of bristles on the inner end of the handle, said handle carrying a longitudinally adjustable member having a clamping bar extending in said recess for substantially the full width thereof and transversely of said axis and spaced inwardly from opposite sidewalls of said recess, said recess having, in the direction in which the bar extends thereacross, a width greater than one-half the width of the handle. said clamping bar having an inner face intersecting said axis from opposite sides thereof and presenting a concave' clamping face'fixed insai'd'bar and" ext'e'nding continuously transversely through said axis to i opposite sides spaced therefrom and cooperative with said outer end of the handle for clamping the brush to` between the bar and the handle and intersect said axis,

the depth of the concavity of said clamping face of the bar being less than one-quarter the distance which the bar extends lengthwise across the recess, and yieldable means engaging said member and said handle to yieldably hold said clamping bar of said member adjacent s-aid'outer end of said handle and to permit said bar of said member to be longitudinaly spaced from said outer end of the handle.

7. A brush having a main axis and adapted and constructed to be clamped to an external support, such as a faucet, shelf or the like, to hang the brush, said brush comprising a handle having an outer end and a relatively large recess open at said end and through which recess said axis passes, a formation of flexible bristles on the inner end of the handle, said handle carrying a longitudinally adjustable member having' a clamping bar extending transversely of said recess and spaced inwardly from opposite sidewalls of said recess, said clamping bar having an inner face intersecting said axis from opposite sides thereof and cooperative with said outer end of the handle for clamping the brush to an external support, said member having a radial-like seating portion exten-ding transversely in said recess and substantially perpendicular to said axis and being longitudinally spaced inwardly from and beneath said inner face of the clamping bar sufiiciently to enable the user's finger tips to engage into the recess on opposite sides of the clamping bar and between the latter and said seating portion to grip the bar substantially centrally width wise of the handle for drawing the bar outwardly of the handle whereby said external support may be received between the bar and said seating portion and the handle and intersect said axis, and yieldable means engaging said member and said handle to yieldably hold said clamping bar adjacent said outer end of said handle, with said seating portion pressed against the bottom wall of said recess, and to permit said bar of said member to be longitudinally spaced outwardly from said outer end of the handle.

8. A brush having a main axis and adapted and constructed to be clamped to an external support, such as a faucet, shelf or the like, said brush comprising a handle having a stand-up face on one end substantially'perpendicular to said axis and a relatively large recess adjacent said face and through which recess said axis passes, a formation of bristles supported on the opposite end of the handle, said handle carrying a longitudinally adjustable member having a clamping bar extending transversely in and for substantially the full width of said recess and having an inner face intersecting said axis from opposite sides thereof and having oppositely disposed side edges spaced from the sidewalls of said recess, said recess having, in the direction which the bar extends thereacross, a 'width greater than one-half the width of the handle, said inner face of the clamping bar being cooperative with said stand-up face of the handle for clamping the brush to an external support, said inner face presenting,

a concave clamping face on said bar' fixed therein and extending continuously transversely through said axis to opposite sides spaced therefrom and including longitudinally straight inclined face portions acutely inclined to said axis on opposite sides thereof and obtusely'inquarter the distance which the bar extends lengthwise across the recess, the inner face of said bar being spaced from the bottom of the recess at and at said opposite sides of its ntersection with said axis, said member having a radial-like seating portion extending in said recess transversely and substantially perpendicular to said' axis and longitudinally spaced inwardly from and beneath said clamping bar sufficiently to enable the user`s finger 'tips to engage into the recess on opposite sides of the clamping bar and between the latter and said seating portion to grip the bar substantially centrally -widthwise of the handle for drawing the bar outwardly of the handle whereby said external support may be received between the bar and its seating portion and the handle and intersect said axis, yieldable means engaging said member and said handle to yieldably hold said clamping bar in said recess, with said seating portion pressed against the bottom wall of said recess, and to permit said bar to be drawn out of said recess to longitudinally space the bar outwardly from said stand-up face, and means for guiding the bar back into said recess.

9. A brush having a main axis and adapted and constructed to be clamped to an external support, such as a faucet, shelf or the like, said brush comprising a handle having an outer end and a relatively large recess open at said end and through which recess said axis passes, said handle carrying a longitudinally adjustable member having a clamping bar extending transversely of said axis and spaced inwardly from opposite sidewalls of said recess, said clamping bar being cooperative 'with said outer end of the handle for clamping the brush to an external support, the clamping bar having an inner face intersectng said axis from opposite sides thereof and spaced from the bottom of the recess at and at said opposite sides of its inter-section with said axis to enable the user's finger tips to engage into the recess on opposite sides of the clamping bar and beneath the inner face thereof substantially centrally widthwise of the handle to grip the bar for drawing it outwardly of the handle whereby said external support may be received between the bar and the handle and intersect said axis, a formation of bristles supported on the opposite end of the handle, said formation of bristles having its 'widthwise dimension greater than its thickwise dimension and greater than the width of the handle, and means in the handle rotatably supporting said member for rotation of said bar thereof around said axis and for relative rotation of said bar to said bristles.

10. A brush having a main axis and adapted and constructed to be clamped to an external support, such as a faucet, shelf or the like, to hang the brush, said brush comprising a handle having an outer end and a relatively large recess open at said end and through which recess said axis passes, said handle carrying a longitudinally adjustable member having a clamping bar extending transversely of said axis and spaced inwardly from opposite sidewalls of said recess, said clamping bar having a concave clamping face cooperative with said end of the handle for clamping the brush to an external support, the clamping face of said bar intersecting said axis from opposite sides thereof whereby the brush may be clamped to said external support `with the latter intersecting said axis of the brush, said member having a radial-like seating portion extending in said recess transversely of and substantially perpendicular to said axis and longitudinally spaced inwardly from and beneath said clamping face of said bar sufficiently to permit said external support to be received between said' har and said seating portion when said bar is drawn outwardly of the handle, a formation of bristles supported on the opposite end of the handle, said formaton of bristles having its -widthwise dimenton greater than its thickwise dimension and greater than the width of the handle, said adjustable member being rotatable with said bar thereof rotatable around said axis and relatively rotatable to said formation of bristles, yieldable means engaging said member and said handle to yieldably hold said clamping bar adjacent said outer end of the handle, with said seating portion pressed against the bottom wall of said recess, and to permit said clamping bar to be drawn outwardly of the outer end of the handle to longitudinally space therefrom the clamping face of said bar, and means for guiding the rotary and longitudinal movements of said member.

ll. A brush having a main axis and adapted and constructed to be hung on an external support, said brush comprising a handle having an outer end and a relatively large recess open at said end and through 'which recess said axis passes, said handle carrying a longitudinally adjustable member having a clamping bar .extending transversely of said axis and spaced inwardly from opposite sidewalls of said recess, said clamping bar having an inner face intersecting said axis from opposite sides thereof and spaced from the bottom of the recess at and at said opposite sides of its intersection with said axis to enable the user`s finger tips to engage into the recess on opposite sides of the clamping bar and beneath the inner face thereof substantially centrally widthwise of the handle to grip the bar for drawing it outwardly of the handle whereby said external support may be received between the bar and the handle and intersect said axis, said inner face presenting a concave clamping face cooperative with said end of the handle for clamping the brush to an external support, a renewable bristled loop unit rotatably secured to the opposite end of the handle, said unit presenting its bristles in a formation of greater widthwise dimension than thickwise dimension and wider than the handle, said adjustable member being rotatable with said clamping bar thereof rotatable around said axis and. relatively rotatablc to said formation of bristles, yieldable means engagng said adjustable member and said handle to yieldably hold said clamping bar adjacent said outer end of the handle and to permit said bar to be drawn outwardly of the outer end of the handle to longitudinally space therefrom the clamping face of said bar, and means for guiding the rotary and longitudinal movements of said member.

12. A brush having a main axis and adapted and constructed to be hung on -an external support, said brush comprising a handle having a stand-up face on One end perpendicular to said axis and having a relatively large ecess acljacent said face and through which recess said axis passes, said handle carrying a longitudinally adjustable member having a clamping bar extending transversely in said recess and intersecting said axis and spaced inwardly from opposite sidewalls of said recess, said bar having an inner face intersecting said axis from opposite sides thereof and spaced from the bottom of the recess at and at said opposite sides of its intersection with said axis to enable the users finger tips to engage into the recess on opposite sides of the clamping bar and beneath the inner face thereof substantially centrally widthwise ofthe handle to grip the bar for drawing it outwardly of the handle whereby said external support may be received between the bar and the handle and intersect said axis, said inner face prcsenting a concave clamping face cooperative with said stand-up face of the handle for clamping the bnsh to an external support, the clamping face comprising inclined face portions acutely inclined lengthwise on the bar to said axis on opposite sides thereof and inclined in opposite directions downwardly relatively to said recess, said adjustable member having a radial-like seating portion extending in said recess transversely of and substantially perpendicular to said axis and longitudinally spaced inwardly from and beneath the clamping face of said bar sufciently to permit said external support to be received between said bar and said seating portion when said bar is drawn `outwardly of the handle, a renewable bristled loop unit rotatably Secured to the opposite end of said handle, said unit presenting its bristles in a formation of greater widthwise dimension than thickwise dimension and wider than the handle, said adjustable member being rotatable with said clamping bar thereof relatively rotatable to said formation of bristlcs and rotatable around said axis, yieldable means engaging said adjustable member and said handle to yieldably hold said clamping bar in said recess, with said seating portion pressed against the bottom wall of the recess, and to permit said bar to be drawn outwardly of said stand-up face of the handle to longitudinally space therefrom the clamping face of said bar, and means for guiding the rotary and longitudinal movements of said member.

13. An article of manufacture adapted and constructed to be hung on a wall hook or shelf hook and having a longitudinal axis and including a handle longitudinal with and substantially symmetrical to said axis, the handle having an outer end provided with a recess open at said end and through which recess said axis passes, said handle carrying a bar disposed in and extending transversely across said recess for substantially the full width thereof, said recess having, in the direction in which the bar extends thereacross, a width greater than one-half the width of the handle, said bar having an inner face extending, spaced from the bottom of the recess, continuously lengthwise from within one-half side of the handle into the opposite half-side thereof and the bar having its opposite side edges spaced from the sidewalls of the recess whereby the wall hook or shelf hook may be received in the recess and beneath the inner face of said bar for engaging the bar, and said inner face of the bar presenting a shallow fixed concavity to receive said wall hook or shelf hook to minimize accidental lengthwise sliding of the bar thereon, said concavity having a depth less than one-quarter the distance which the bar extends lengthwise across the recess.

14. An article of nanufacture adapted and constructed to be hung on a wall hook or shelf hook and having a longitudinal axis and including a handle longitudinal with and substantially symmetrical to said axis, the handle having an outer end provided with a recess open at said end and through which recess said axis passes, said handle carrying a bar extending transversely across said recess, said bar having an inner face extending, spaced from the bottom of the recess, lengthwise from within one-half side of the handle into the 'opposite half-side thereof and the bar having its opposite side edges spaced from the sidewalls of the recess whereby the wall hook or shelf hook may be received in the recess and beneath the inner face of said bar for engaging the bar, said inner face of the bar presenting a concavity to receive said wall hook or shelf hook to minimize accidental lengthwise sliding of the bar thereon, and means in the handle rotatably supporting said bar for rotation in said recess and for rotation relatively to the handle.

15. An article of manufacture adapted and constructed to be clamped to an external support, such as a pipe, shelf or the like, to hang the article, and including a longitudinal axis and a handle longitudinal with and substantially symmetrical to said axis, the handle having an outer end provided with a recess open at said end, the handle carrying .a longitudinally adjustable member having a clamping bar disposed in and extending substantially for the full width of said recess transversely of said axis and spaced inwardly from opposite side walls of said recess, said recess having, in the direction in which the bar extends thereacross, a width greater than onehalf the width of the handle, said bar having an inner face extending, spaced from the bottom of the recess,'

stantially centrally widthwise of the handle to grip the 'bar for drawing it outwardly `of the handle and Whereby said external support may be received between said end of the handle and said bar and extend from one-half side of the handle to the other half-side, the inner face of the bar presenting a fixed concavity extending continuously from one half-side of the handle into said opposite halfside thereof, said concavity having a depth less than onequarter the distance which the bar extends lengthwise .across the recess, and yieldable means engagng said member and said handle to yieldably hold said clamping bar in said recess and to permit said bar to be longitudinally spaced from said outer end of the handle.

16. An article of manufacture adapted and constructed to be clamped to an external support, such as a pipe, shelf or the like, to hang the article, and including a longitudinal axis and a handle longitudinal with and substantially symmetrcal to said axis, the handle having an outer end provided with a recess open at said end and through which recess said axis passes, the handle carrying a rotatably mounted, longitudinally adjustable member having a clamping bar extending in said recess transversely of said axis 'and spaced inwardly from opposte sidewalls of said recess, said bar having an inner face intersecting said axis from opposite sides thereof and spaced from the bottom of the recess at and at said opposte sides of its intersection with said axis, Whereby the users finger tips may engage into the recess on opposite sides of said bar and beneath the inner face thereof substantially centrally widthwse of the handle to grip the bar for drawing it outwardly of the handle and whereby said external support may be received between the bar and the handle and intersect said 'axis, the inner face of the bar presenting a concavity, and yieldable means engaging said member and said handle to yieldably hold said clamping bar in said recess and to permit said bar of said member to be longitudinally spaced from said outer end of the handle and to be rotated around said axis and relatively to said handle.

17. A manually manipulable brush having a straight longitudinal main axis of symmetry passing substantially through the center of gravity of the brush and adapted to hang on an external support, such as a faucet or shelf, said brush comprising a handle longitudinal to and symmetrical to said axis and having sides therearound and carrying a stand-up face on one end substantially on all sides of, and symmetrcal to, said axis and extending laterally in a plane sufiiciently perpendcular to and far enough from said axis to allow the handle to be stood in stable equilibrium with said stand-up face on a flat surface; the handle carrying at the other end a formation of substantially longitudinally extending bristles pointing away from the handle; the handle and the formation of bristles being coaxial with said axis; said handle carrying a movable hook adjacent said stand-up face, said hook having a closed part normally remote from said axis and relatively nearer to one side of the handle than to the opposite side thereof and constructed to be interiorly and laterally unobstructed and open except at said closed part; said hook having a supporting bar provided with an interior supporting face facing substantially in the direction in which said bristles point, the supporting bar of said look extending from said closed part thereof in the direction transverse of the handle for extending over the shelf in the direction inwardly of the outer edge thereof for hanging the brush on the shelf with the latter intersecting the axis of the brush; the supporting face of the supporting bar of the hook presenting at all times a concavity between the open and closed end of the hook with the concavty facing in substantially the direction in which the bristles point and adapted to receive the outer surface t of a faucet or the bevelled edge of a shelf; the hook being resiliently adjustable for varying the distance which the supporting bar may be longitudnally extended outwardly from the stand-up face of the handle whereby the hook may receive faucets or shelves of various thickness, said hook having the outer end of the bar spaced laterally outwardly of the closed end of the hook by said concavity; and said hook being movable to a position fully exposing said stand-up face for standing the brush with said standup face on a flat surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENT S 628,087 Gbford July 4, 1899 1,353,184 Schatte Sept. 21, 1920 1,458,408 Hawtin June 12, 1923 1,710,069 Potstada Apr. 23, 1929 2,471,680 Gibson May 31, 1949 2,516,778 Kreidenwess July 25, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 49,838 Netherlands Jan. 15, 1941 6S9,965 Germany May 13, 1938 

